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And he revealed he would attempt to change the law to block the development, telling Mr Javid in the House of Commons: “We will seek to oppose his decision through all legal means, and amend future legislation in this House to give the protection that he has shown himself unable to provide.”

But Mr Javid defended his decision to let the housing project go ahead.

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Mr Mitchell told the Local Government Secretary: “Does the Secretary of State understand the anger and disappointment felt throughout Sutton Coldfield at his decision last week to back Labour’s wholly unnecessary plans to build on Sutton’s green belt?

“Does he realise this is a breach of the Conservative Party’s election manifesto and his own words from just a few weeks ago?”

But mr Javid insisted he was right to end a block on the plans.

He said: “The reason the government placed a hold on the Birmingham Local Plan was precisely because the Government values the green belt. It is very very special.

“But where you have a local community that has come forward with a robust plan, that has looked at all the alternatives, that’s considered its housing needs, it’s prioritised brownfield sites, and where the independent planning inspectorate has said that it meets all the rules and regulations, then the government has no valid reason to stand in the way.”